[gavazzy]

If it weren't for patents, they likely wouldn't have spent $40million developing it. Someone would reverse engineer it and then launch a Kickstarter and sell it without having to spend the R&D cost.

[crocowhile]

They did not spend $40M to develop it. The development came from tax-payer money given to their lab at UNC through classical funding streams.

Sequoia put in $40M to make a business out of it, which is a very different goal.

[tdaltonc]

That's what academic engineering labs are for. The state foots the bill, and everyone gets to share in the progress.